Textile & Apparel SEA-Cambodia Summit 2024 to boost textile growth

The summit will grasp the latest opportunity and trends, together with good practice sharing to accelerate industry upgrade and development. The event comprises four sessions that fall under the following themes—policy, current situation, and opportunities; sourcing strategy and supply chain digitisation; local factories, labours, and technology upgrade; and sustainable development and circular textiles value chain, organisers GodiAsia and the Textile, Apparel, Footwear, and Travel Goods Association in Cambodia (TAFTAC) said in a joint press release.

Highlights of the upcoming conference include discussions on ‘Sustainable Development and Circular Textiles Value Chain’, ‘Made in Cambodia: Deep Interpretation of Latest Government Investment Policy on Textile and Apparel Industry in Cambodia’, and ‘Cost Analysis and Road Map to a Balanced Production Strategy in Cambodia’s Textile and Garment Industry’. Other topics will include the ‘Outlook 2030 for Cambodia’s Textile and Apparel Industry’, ‘Deep Analysis of the Impact of the Russo-Ukrainian War on Cambodia’s Industry’, ‘Current Status and Key Trends of Asia Apparel Sourcing’, and ‘Supply Chain Digitalisation’. Discussions will also cover ‘Costing of Garments Manufacturing in Cambodia for the Next 10 Years’, ‘Case Sharing of Investing and Building Factories in Cambodia’, ‘New Trends and Practices in Technology Innovation’, ‘Green and Sustainable Development in SEA countries’, and ‘Textile Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing in Asia’.

The speakers invited to the conference include representatives from the ministry of commerce of Cambodia; Giles Fowler, director-Southeast Asia production operations at VF Corporation; Ken Loo, secretary general of TAFTAC; and officials from the ministry of economy and finance of Cambodia. Other notable speakers include Rob Fessele from Adidas; Chen Weikang from the China National Textile and Apparel Council; representatives from Decathlon VN, Marks and Spencer, Coats Digital, Li & Fung Limited, MAS Holdings, Asmara International Limited, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production, Bao minh Textile JSC, and bluesign technologies AG; and Rachel Vanessa Tan, head of sustainability-Southeast Asia at H&M.

Cambodia’s textile industry is one of the fastest growing in the world. Cambodia launched a new roadmap on March 17 to revamp its textile and apparel industry, a major economic pillar that accounts for more than a third of the country’s gross domestic product. The garment, footwear, and travel goods industry generated 57 per cent of Cambodia’s total exports last year. It was worth $12.6 billion in 2022 and increased 14.9 per cent from $11 billion the previous year. Globally, Cambodia is the ninth-largest exporter of garment, footwear, and travel goods. Businesses should watch for new opportunities to emerge from Cambodia’s shift toward higher-value textiles and apparel.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)